<p>@Helios- I respectfully disagree. While it may not be that “unique” a topic for the CA personal statement, oftentimes you will find that this kind of experience can be very effectively written about in many different types of supplement questions and is probably better placed there. My D went on 3 such trips and was able to use her experiences in a variety of questions at a variety of schools, all of which she was admitted to. Yes, we were fortunate to be able to pay for these trips, but the experience was hers and she was able to translate those experiences in a way that was passionate and engaging. I’m convinced that she was admitted to her top choice partly on the strength of one of these types of essays.</p>